To beat or drum a thing into one. To repeat as a drummer repeats his strokes on a drum.

3

To beat a retreat (French, battre en retraite); to beat to arms; to beat a charge. Military terms similar to the above.

4

To beat the air. To strike out at nothing, merely to bring ones muscies into play, as pugilists do before they begin to fight; to toil without profit; to work to no purpose.

5

So fight I, not as one that beateth the air.l Cor. ix. 26.

To beat the bush. One beat the bush and another caught the hare. Il a battu les buissons, et autre a pris les oiseaux. Il bat le buisson sans prendre les oisillons is a slightly different idea, meaning he has toiled in vain. Other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours (John iv. 48). The allusion is to beaters, whose business it is to beat the bushes and start the game for a shooting party.

6

To beat the Devils Tattoo. (See TATTOO.)

7

To beat the Dutch. To draw a very long bow; to say something very incredible.

8

Well! if that dont beat the Dutch!

To beat time. To mark time in music by beating or moving the hands, feet, or a wand.

9

To beat up supporters. To hunt them up or call them together, as soldiers are by beat of drum.